Container for storage and transportation of long stem roses



March 31, 1964 v. c. WEDDLE 3,127,011

CONTAINER FOR STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF LONG STEM ROSES Filed July3, 1962 INVENTOR VON C. WEDDLE ATTORNEYS United States Patent M3,127,011 CONTAINER FOR STORAGE AND TRANSPOR- TATION 0F LONG STEM ROSESVon C. Waddle, 2801 Charlestown Road, New Albany, Ind. Filed July 3,1962, Ser. No. 207,177 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-4534) This invention relatesto a new and novel container for storage and transportation of cutflowers, and more particularly to an improved protective container foruse in the preparation of long stern roses for flower shows.

In exhibitions of roses, the preparation of the roses entails manyproblems. For the best showing, most roses are cut at the proper timeand stored under refrigeration. Great care must be taken in transportingthe roses to the place of the exhibition inasmuch as the petals can beeasily bruised. As a matter of practice, at the exhibition, there isfrequently insuificient room for the various participants to groom andtag their roses. Many individuals do not enter roses because of theseinconveniences.

The object of this invention is to provide a strong protective containerwhich will serve for storage of cut roses until time for the exhibition,and which will permit the roses to be groomed prior to the show andarrive in an undamaged condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protective containerfor the roses which can be elongated for extra long stem roses.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a substantiallyrigid transparent container which is substantially hermetically sealedin its closed condition and may be partially filled with water.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the container embodied in theinvention with a portion broken away to shOW the interior; and FIGURE 2is a perspective view of the structure used in practicing the inventionshowing the elements in separated relationship.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the container as awhole, designated by reference character 10, comprises a tubular portion11 which is cylindrical in shape and opened at both ends. An upper cap12 and a lower cap 14 made of molded clear plastic approximately thickare provided which snugly, but removably, engage the ends of the tubularportion 11.

The container is normally composed of clear acetate of appropriategage--say 0.010" or of other transparent and substantially rigidplastic. A container wherein the tubular portion 11 is 24 inches longand 3 inches in diameter will hold one long stem rose and weighs emptyabout 8 oz. About 2 /2 inches of water 16 placed in lower cap '14 of thecontainer will last, even with the long stem roses, at least a week.

In practice, the roses 15 are cleaned, groomed and placed in the tube 11butt end first through the opening the same day they are cut. Since theroses 15 are in 3,127,011 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 water 16, the container10 may he stood on end 14 in a refrigerator or placed in a box withcrushed ice around the container 14 for cooling. Cut roses have beenkept for a week in this manner and shown thereafter in excellent shape.The container 10 with rose 15 and water 16 is easily transportable tothe exhibition. At the exhibition, the tubular portion 11 together withthe upper cap 12 and the rose 15 are separated from the lower cap 14 andthe rose 15 removed butt end first from the tubular portion 11, andplaced into a show vase after placing an already prepared entry card 17around the neck of the vasethe card 17 with elastic band 20 havingpreviously been looped around the lower cap 14, as shown.

The cut roses 15 hold their color longer and open slower becausecontainer 10 is substantially airtight. In practice, the caps 12 and 14are approximately 3 inches in height. For longer roses, the containercan be elongated about three to four inches by positioning cap 12 andcap 14 to a certain extent appropriately on tubular portion 11, withoutunduly sacrificing the rigidity and strength of the container 10.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, for modifications will be obvious to those skilled in theart.

I claim:

1. A container for the storing and transportation of long stem roses orthe like which comprises an elongated cylindrical member and a removablewatertight cap means slidably embracing an end thereof in continuousperipheral frictional fit, said cylindrical member and said cap meansbeing composed of water impervious plastic material, said containerbeing substantially airtight, said cylindrical member composed ofthinner gage material than said cap means whereby the container may bevented by deformation of a portion of said cylindrical member beneathsaid cap means.

2. A container for the storing and transportation of long stem roses foran exhibition which comprises an elongated transparent cylindricalmember and removable watertight cap means slidably embracing each endthereof in continuous peripheral frictional fit, said member and saidcap means being composed of water impervious plastic material, saidcontainer being substantially airtight, said cylindrical member composedof thinner gage material than said cap means whereby the container isvented by deformation of a portion of said cylindrical member beneathone of said cap means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,624,407 Hamilton Apr. 12, 1927 2,176,955 Clow Oct. 24, 1939 2,285,220Morrell June 2, 1942 2,632,286 Newhall Mar. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS65,252 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1913

1. A CONTAINER FOR THE STORING AND TRANSPORTATION OF LONG STEM ROSES ORTHE LIKE WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND A REMOVABLEWATERTIGHT CAP MEANS SLIDABLY EMBRACING AN END THEREOF IN CONTINUOUSPERIPHERAL FRICTIONAL FIT, SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND SAID CAP MEANSBEING COMPOSED OF WATER IMPERVIOUS PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID CONTAINERBEING SUBSTANTIALLY AIRTIGHT, SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER COMPOSED OFTHINNER GAGE MATERIAL THAN SAID CAP MEANS WHEREBY THE CONTAINER MAY BEVENTED BY DEFORMATION OF A PORTION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER BENEATHSAID CAP MEANS.